The Family: Under Attack

I have decided that the two best ways to learn how to practice the law of consecration are marriage and family experience. Is it any wonder that both are under attack so fiercely?

Today the most watched talk on BYU Broadcasting was the one given by Julie Beck at the BYU Women’s conference, May 1, 2009. Her talk was called “Nourishing and Protecting Home and Family.”

In her talk she emphasized the doctrine of the family as summarized so beautifully in the Proclamation on the Family. She also explained the theology of the family, or as it is more commonly referred to, the great plan of salvation or happiness. The three pillars of this theology are:

1) The Creation- of this beautiful earth for families.

2) The Fall- as a means for families to grow and increase.

3) The Atonement- as an event that will tie families together forever.

Elder Robert D. Hales explained, “In the beginning, Adam and Eve were married for time and all eternity by the Lord. The organization of the family existed in the heavens before the world was formed and was historically started with Adam and Eve on the earth, as recorded in Genesis. The family will exist eternally.”

Both Adam and Eve had leadership roles in their family as given to them in their assignments. They got their responsibilities by virtue of that celestial marriage and sealing.

Ezra Taft Benson taught that this was the order of the priesthood. He said, “This order is otherwise described in modern revelation as an order of family government. When a man and a women enter into a covenant with God, just as did Adam and Eve, to be sealed for eternity, to have posterity, and to do the will and work of God throughout mortality. This order of the priesthood has been on the earth since the beginning and it is the only means by which we can see the face of God and live.”

Sister Beck explained that marriage is an order of the priesthood, which prepares us for the blessing of Eternal life.

Elder David A. Bednar has taught us two important reasons why marriage is essential. “Reason one, is because the natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation. And reason two, by divine design, both man and woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.”

Elder Boyd K, Packer said, “The great plan of happiness, revealed to prophets, is a plan for a happy family. It is the love story between husband and wife, parents and children, that renews itself through the ages. Nothing is more important to the Church, and to civilization, than the family.”

Sister Beck very beautifully explained that families are about “us” and “we”, while the world preaches about “I” and “Me”. It is apparent to me that Satan wishes to dissuade us from living the Celestial law of consecration. “Anti-Christ teachings and principles are always Anti-family and that Anti-family teachings and policies are also Anti-Christ.” I believe that Satan wants us to be unwilling to submit and to be proud and unteachable. Families are the place that we learn how to be consecrated to the Lord, by practice daily, in lessons of unselfish behavior and charity to others. It is no wonder the family is under attack, the importance of the lessons learned in the family are Eternal.

Sister Beck then shared a statement from a talk given in 1980 by Spencer W. Kimball, called “Families Can Be Eternal”.

“There are those who would define the family in such a nontraditional way that they would define it out of existence.

We of all people, brothers and sisters, should not be taken in by the specious arguments that the family unit is somehow tied to a particular phase of development a mortal society is going through. We are free to resist those moves which downplay the significance of the family and which play up the significance of selfish individualism. We know the family to be eternal. We know that when things go wrong in the family, things go wrong in every other institution in society.

Furthermore, many of the social restraints which in the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.”

This was such a testimony for me of how a prophet of God surely saw our day. As a watchman on the tower, he warned us of the attack that would come upon this Eternal unit. Our salvation and exaltation depends on how we view the doctrine of the family.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to this amazing talk on the doctrine of the family, please take the time to do it.

Our First Parents Adam and Eve

I believe the scriptures are a wonderful place to look to find examples of valiant women who honored their role as wife and mother. Since March is designated as National Women in History month, I have decided to honor a few of the significant women who have played important roles in the history of the world.

One of the greatest women to have come to this earth is Eve. Eve is the ultimate example of the word mother, for she was designated “the mother of all living.” Being given the title of the first mother, Eve naturally can be looked to as a model for all mothers to follow.

Joined together as husband and wife, she and Adam in obedience lived by the perfect pattern, set by the Lord, for all families to follow. Being symbolically formed from the rib of Adam, Eve became a lateral partner with her husband. Working side by side in equality Adam and Eve raised their children in righteousness, teaching them, making “all things known unto them.” Such is the job of righteous parent throughout all time periods.

As partners, Adam and Eve became co-creators with Deity, to build and organize bodies of mortal men. This partnership made them literal parents, or progenitors, of the entire human race. As their children we can all fondly call them Father Adam and Mother Eve. Thus the Lord declared, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be done flesh.” The pattern for procreation was clearly established on this earth, patterned after what was in Heaven before.

Eve was created in the image of God, and deemed “very good” by Him. She learned to call upon the Father in the name of the Lord as she learned to pray. She and Adam blessed the name of the Lord, and were taught the law of sacrifice as it pointed to the last great sacrifice, Jesus Christ. These concepts of prayer, calling upon the Father through Jesus Christ, and offering sacrifices, they lovingly taught their children.

As a mother, Eve knew the heartache of loss. She understood the effects of both the spiritual death and the physical death, learned very clearly through the example of her children Cain and Able. Eve also knew great happiness and joy in her posterity with the gift of an obedient child in Seth. She understood the blessing she received, in that, a righteous posterity would continue on the earth through his line. Eve received all the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoyed all of the gifts of the spirit. As a great mother and teacher she sought to prepare her posterity for all the same blessings she enjoyed.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated:

"Thus, in the beginning, the perfect pattern is set for perfecting the family. The man and the woman are together in worship; they are together in teaching their children; they are together in establishing the family unit that hopefully will endure in the eternities ahead, thus giving eternal life to all those who earn it."

In a time where the sanctity of marriage may be in question, and the importance of the role of mother is at stake, I am grateful for the example set by our righteous first parents, Adam and Eve.

Proposition 8 and the Call to Action

Just today California has been joined by Connecticut in the battle to save traditional marriage. One of the best reasons for the definition, other than that of being ordained by God was given today, in my opinion, by one of the opposing Judges in the Supreme Court decision in that state. He said, "The ancient definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman has its basis in biology, not bigotry." I loved that!

The state of Connecticut following the state of California in their decision to challenge traditional marriage is exactly what was expected would happen, only it happened a little earlier than I thought. Our Church leaders have warned that the world has their eyes on this monumental decision that is being fought here in California, that of preserving traditional marriage. What happens here will be a standard for things to come.

Our LDS leaders in a broadcast from Salt Lake have encouraged us, as an LDS people, to come out boldly and speak of our commitment to traditional marriage and of our values and teachings. Now is the time to act and be courageous.

I have spent the last two days on the Internet watching as Young Adults throughout the stake have boldly defended the truths they believe. They have posted blog posts and posted videos supporting Prop 8 on their Facebook pages. There have been some that have had the courage to take the discussion to the open forums and engage in conversation there. Many have met with opposition to this action that they have taken, still they press on.

One of the most eye opening things I have seen is two loving brothers who, have conflicting opinions, stand true to their opposite sides, each unbending in his ideals engaging in persuasive conversation, desperately trying to make the other see his point of view. It was a stark realization of what the war in Heaven must have been like. This war is not one of violent actions but of opposing views, a war over truth versus deception.

These bold, noble, youth have been more courageous than others half their age, in defending what they know to be true. Being called "narrow minded" and labeled as prejudiced they have endured the battle front over the last couple of days, valiantly. The words to the Hymn, True to the Faith, have come to have new and emotional meaning to me.

"Shall the youth of Zion falter in defending truth and right? While the enemy assaileth, shall we shrink or shun the fight? NO! True to the faith that our parents have cherished, true to the truth for which martyrs have perished, To God's command, Soul, heart, and hand, Faithful and true we will ever stand."

I have witnessed this in action and have renewed hope for the future.

We must all support these Young Adults as they battle this battle, or have it counted against us! I know this is true. Make sure you do "all that you can do to support Proposition 8" as our leaders have asked and have it counted unto you as righteousness. I love these young people!

Mormons in California Called to Defend Marriage by Top LDS Leaders

Mormons in California Called to Defend Marriage by Top LDS Leaders

Read from the pulpit Sunday was a letter from our LDS leaders with a call to "do all that you can" to defend the traditional definition of marriage that is being voted upon in the upcoming elections in November in California. This is a great article that discusses that letter and the duty we have as LDS members to defend this great cause.

Make sure you read the comments that follow the article, they are just as informational as the article itself. One I loved in particular was from Ama, it gave an example of what may occur in the future if this marriage is redefined. This new definition of marriage could open up a proverbial can of worms. If you read this article make sure to make your own opinion known by voting a thumbs up and getting involved with a comment of your own.

Rarely do our leaders request that we become involved in political issues assuming a stance for one issue over another. When they do, we must listen to what they are saying. This is a time to open our mouths.